Some PTS Skill/Combat Thoughts

Draehl

No cohesive theme here, just some general observation/suggestions. Some of which are re-hashing discussion in other threads, but I wanted to make a single post to organize my thoughts.

Nightblade

I play more of a sustained damage/support/offhealer NB. Opinions may vary if you play a pure tank or stamina/magicka assassin.

• Grim Focus: I don't think the number of attacks was really a concern on live. Taking several attacks to build up the burst is acceptable, however using the proc on this skill consuming the berserk buff was (and still is) a problem and just feels "clunky" for a lack of a better word. Suggestion: Increase the number of attacks to proc this skills up from 4 to 5-6, however using the proc should re-apply the full duration of the skill as-if you had double tapped the key. Yes, it will be a little weaker, but will significantly help combat flow.
• Siphoning Attacks: While we haven't played with the 15s duration, the initial magicka cost is a touch prohibitive, especially given the fact that you're using it in situations where need to re-gain resources, and I'm certain this will pose a problem even with a 15s duration. Suggestion: When you push the next PTS build to include the 15s duration try it with a 30-40% lower initial cost. I think it will be about right at that level. It will require a little bit of "digging" to recoupe the cost, but will be more reasonable.
• Leeching Strikes: With it being geared towards the tanking morph it's not going to see much use just proccing off basic attacks. I really don't know what else to say about this as it's been pointed out several times in this sub-forum. Suggestion: Apply a sharper damage penalty (30%?) but allow it to proc off skills in addition to attacks. Scale back the resource/health return if needed, but this MUST proc off skills if its going to see any use.
• Refreshing Path: This skill is still a joke. We have more than enough sources of movement speed and a speed boost in such a small area is rarely useful. Can we just get a different effect for standing in the path and drop the expedition buff? Would lesser protection (8%) or some small % lifesteal while standing in the path be reasonable? TBH this is the type of skill that should encourage players to stay inside for the duration, rather than trying to treat it otherwise.

Heavy Armor

Heavy armor certainly feels a little better after the penetration bug fix, however still feels a little lacking as a competitive choice. Particularly in situations such as mine where I run 5light/2heavy and that extra armor is more easily shredded, having much less of an impact than it probably should. Also, full tanks in general took a hit with the block mechanics change and still feel less effective overall and need some buffage elsewhere. A couple of suggestions...

• Resolve: Change this from bonus armor/resists, to instead be a per-piece raw % mitigation bonus that cannot be reduced via penetration. 3% per piece of heavy armor would feel about right and offer some added tankiness. 7pc heavy for example would be 21% and help significantly with the block nerfs, while those using less pieces would at least be able to pick up 3-6% bonus mitigation, even if their armor was dropped to next to nothing.
• Constitution: Again, with the block nerfs, heavy armor users could use some love in regards to resource management. I'd suggest just dropping the cooldown from 4s down to 2s where it can be more effective in boss fights/PvP, but not OP in AOE situations.
• Bracing: For purposes of anti-burst/boss fights perhaps also tack on an hp shield/heal/regen buff after taking damage for a large % of your health in one hit. Get hit for over 33% of your health in one hit? You are healed (for example) 5% of your max hp per second for 5 seconds as a recovery mechanic.

General

• Shield Overflow Bug: TBH I haven't been able to determine if this is still active or not, but I greatly hope it is not. The prospect of running Frost Staff for that HP shield when power attacking is attractive, however only a 4% shield in PvP that kills any mitigation you might have against burst would definitely kill this as a viable choice. You could potentially take more damage overall than if you had simply not had the shield at all. I realize it's a bug, but could things get any more counter-intuitive? I'd love to see confirmation on this one by anyone who has tested this more thoroughly on PTS.
• Magicka Detonation: Zergs are arguably even more of a problem in IC than Cyrodiil due to the enclosed areas. I won't make a specific suggestions on this so much as ask that the skill be changed to be more effective against larger groups- One I've seen suggested elsewhere is to lower the initial damage, but raising the target cap to ~20 and creating a per-target-hit exponential increase in damage.
• Battle Spirit: I like the changes and they have slowed combat down a touch, however I worry that that fights are lasting not just longer (this is a good thing!) but rather indefinitely. The issue isn't shields, or heals, or whatever scapegoat players are pointing out as being too potent, but rather regen rates and champ points allowing these skills to be used constantly with no regards to efficiency or resource management. Suggestion: Battle Spirit should also affect in-combat regen/resource gains by ~30%. Fights lasting longer is good, but they should eventually end.

I don't think any of this is too controversial or unreasonable. Just more rounding out the edges of some mechanics/skills. Please disagree/criticize as I'd love to hear other opinions on these mechanics. Thanks!
 

Personofsecrets

Bracing is currently the best heavy armor passive. I'm afraid that it would get changed for the worse if messed with.

Draehl

Personofsecrets wrote: »

Bracing is currently the best heavy armor passive. I'm afraid that it would get changed for the worse if messed with.

If it (being heavy armor as a whole) gets changed for the worse then they have no sense about their own game. If we need to cower from making suggestions out of fear that they will only make it worse if they try we probably need a find a new game. That said, they definitely do need someone with a stronger sense of cause and effect guiding their decisions. Most devs are typically former programmers, artists, or at best former QA staff. They need an economist or mathematician calling the shots TBH...

DDuke

Draehl wrote: »

No cohesive theme here, just some general observation/suggestions. Some of which are re-hashing discussion in other threads, but I wanted to make a single post to organize my thoughts.

Nightblade

• Refreshing Path: This skill is still a joke. We have more than enough sources of movement speed and a speed boost in such a small area is rarely useful. Can we just get a different effect for standing in the path and drop the expedition buff? Would lesser protection (8%) or some small % lifesteal while standing in the path be reasonable? TBH this is the type of skill that should encourage players to stay inside for the duration, rather than trying to treat it otherwise.

The thing about refreshing path... it'd be interesting to see a morph that granted invisibility to anyone on the path. That could work as a substitute to cloak & would promote build diversity.

F7sus4

Draehl wrote: »

• Refreshing Path: This skill is still a joke. We have more than enough sources of movement speed and a speed boost in such a small area is rarely useful. Can we just get a different effect for standing in the path and drop the expedition buff? Would lesser protection (8%) or some small % lifesteal while standing in the path be reasonable? TBH this is the type of skill that should encourage players to stay inside for the duration, rather than trying to treat it otherwise.

Refreshing Path is already as good as Rapid Regeneration is. Yet if affects all players in the area and deals some minor damage. I like the skill as it is now and there's no reason to buff it anymore.

Draehl wrote: »

• Battle Spirit: I like the changes and they have slowed combat down a touch, however I worry that that fights are lasting not just longer (this is a good thing!) but rather indefinitely.

That was my very first thought when I saw the PTS Patch Notes and I second that.

Draehl

F7sus4 wrote: »

Draehl wrote: »

• Refreshing Path: This skill is still a joke. We have more than enough sources of movement speed and a speed boost in such a small area is rarely useful. Can we just get a different effect for standing in the path and drop the expedition buff? Would lesser protection (8%) or some small % lifesteal while standing in the path be reasonable? TBH this is the type of skill that should encourage players to stay inside for the duration, rather than trying to treat it otherwise.

Refreshing Path is already as good as Rapid Regeneration is. Yet if affects all players in the area and deals some minor damage. I like the skill as it is now and there's no reason to buff it anymore.

Except it requires you stay in a small defined little area to keep the benefit. Other skills with a similarly small persistent area like Wall of Elements are better than this skill and even they need buffs. There's a lot to be said for area restrictions. They need to be significantly stronger as enemies/allies have to stay or be made to stay within the area to gain the intended effect.